Baboon escapes from enclosure

THE monkey house at Edinburgh Zoo had to be closed today (Thu) after a baboon escaped from its enclosure.Zoo chiefs were left with cheeks as red as the baboon’s because the incident happened as the national press gathered for a planned photo opportunity.Showing skill and daring befitting Steve McQueen in The Great Escape, the Gelada Baboon snuck past an electric fence in its bid for freedom.The incident, which happened just after 3pm, was witnessed by Marie Turner who was visiting with her boyfriend.She said:

“We were in the viewing hut and there was a monkey and it was just sitting beside the fence, then it started to climb up and it stuck its head out the top a few times.’It obviously realized it could get out and so is sat on the roof of the hut eating.’She added:

“We were all taken out so they could catch it. We were out for about 20 minutes,’It was just a young one’The Gelada baboon is native to Africa and lives only in a small area of Ethiopia.